Smart Solar Installation Steps with PVBuddy 

As we move through 2025, solar energy continues to grow rapidly. Global solar installations are projected to reach 593 GW this year, a 29% increase from 2023¹. With this growth, it's crucial to understand the installation process and how tools like PVBuddy can optimize it and maximize your profits with instantaneous results and insights.

Solar Installation Steps

1. Pre-installation Panel Check

• Inspect incoming panels for visible defects
• PVBuddy use: Test individual panels to identify defective units before installation

2. Site Preparation and Roof Inspection

• Assess roof condition and structural integrity
• Set up scaffolding if necessary

3. Install Mounting System

• Secure mounting frames to the roof
• Ensure proper tilt angle (15 to 20 degrees for maximum sunlight exposure)²
• PVBuddy use: Determine the optimal angle

4. Solar Panel Installation

• Attach panels to mounting frames
• PVBuddy use: Verify panel performance as they are installed

5. Wiring and Connections

• Connect panels in strings
• Route wires from panels to inverter location

6. Array Performance Check

• Test connected strings
• PVBuddy use: Check array performance under constant irradiance, identifying any issues with connectivity or underperforming panels

7. Inverter Installation

• Mount inverter in appropriate location
• Connect inverter to panel array and electrical system

8. System-wide Performance Test

• Conduct comprehensive system check
• PVBuddy use: Measure kWh output for similarly oriented arrays, ensuring consistent performance across the system

9. Final Inspection and Commissioning

• Perform safety checks and electrical testing
• Verify system meets all regulatory requirements

10. System Handover

• Provide documentation and user instructions
• PVBuddy use: Offer baseline performance data for future reference and maintenance

Benefits of Using PVBuddy for Installers

• Early detection of defective panels, saving time and reducing callbacks
• Precise performance verification at each installation stage
• Comprehensive array and system-level diagnostics
• Data-driven quality assurance for client satisfaction and system longevity

Tools like PVBuddy are crucial for maintaining efficiency and quality in installations. As the solar market continues to grow, with a value of $63.6 billion in the U.S. alone in 2023⁴, optimizing installation processes becomes increasingly important.

Sources

1. Ember Energy
2. Bluebird Solar
3. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
4. Solar Energy Industries Association